[Open] 🚬 April Flames

[burnitblack]

Who: Dabi & others
What: April Catch-All
When: Various
Where: April

Content Warnings: Scenes and mentions of domestic / child abuse, some body horor and monstrous transformations, violence, adult language, topics of patricide and fratricide

Notes: General and specific starters will be below. Contact under cut.

If you want to hit me up for ideas on prompts or plots, feel free to comment on Dabi's plotting post, hit me up on my contacts – Plurk (StarSeed69) / Discord (StarSeed#3572) – shoot me a PM, or drop an ooc comment down below, and we’ll hash it out. I'm down to write a unique starter for our threads if you prefer.

Comments

[burnitblack]

[one after another, slamming handfuls of fire down against him. burn away. reaching through the flames of his own design and grabbing onto the surface of that face buried beneath the blue conflagration. you're nothing but worthless ash. and igniting his quirk hard enough to turn the orb-like burning flame into a washing cone of flames pouring out behind the kneeling figure on the ground. at least die and become kindling for my flames. had enough of this person. had enough of his lies and his selfish ambitions. he got in here, he woke him up, he made him aware of his predicament, that's all fine and successful. i don't have any more use for trash like you. but if he's not going to shut the hell up and get to work on getting them both out of here, then dabi's over this invasive attempt at "saving" him. coming in here, trampling on his soul and mind, digging up those past memories and pain, and now daring to start talking to him like he's wrong, like he needs some goddamn help from this hypocritical "saint" in clown's clothing. go to hell.]

Hm?

[dabi's little surprised noise carries curiosity and mounting frustration. never did like someone who he couldn't burn to ash, but it's not like he hasn't come across someone who could counter, block, or tear through his flames. didn't make him happy to deal with someone like that though. even if this is some kind of mental or spiritual battle of wills. something he said just roused this guy into resisting...

only to tense up when hands suddenly catch onto his own, surprising him enough the fire actually cuts off for a second like a flamethrower splashing against a wall. fingers lacing through his own, those claws failing to skewer his hand. before strong arms abruptly twist and throw, almost wrenching his wrists in the process as his arms are flung out on either side of him. he steps back once, eyes widening slightly in irritation at allen's stubborn will to push through this.]

Ain't dear to me, idiot. Already had a death in the family and no one gave a shit! Turn a blind eye, just like every hero.

[hypocrite. telling him what to do. this wasn't his business to start with. damn hero decided to stick his nose into a place it neither belonged nor was asked to be in. that's called invasion. as for "family business" pretense, someone who never had a family in the first place doesn't have shit ground to stand on when it comes to telling others how to deal with their families. go die on a hill you actually know how to stand on. people like him are why some heroes are so damn despised, because they're desperate for some shitty validation of their own existence or power, and are willing to make use of anyone and anything, even invent problems that don't exist or invade into other's lives, in order to force a shred of "where I belong" into the world to make their life worth a fraction more. when the vast majority of people couldn't give a shit whether they lived or died.

if allen thought dabi's arms were the only place where his flames come out of... the villain abruptly ignites his own chest and blasts him straight in the face and throat with another roaring torrent of blue flames.]

Then ya better get me back in control out there, "hero", cause the longer we stay in here, the more everything and everyone out there burns!

[likethelight]

[ The thing about Innocence and the people who wield it, Dabi... is it's not like a normal ability. Not something that's honed through physical practice, not something in the realm of physics and the material; not even magic, not a "skill". It's the fragment of a forgotten "god" that chooses a host out of respect for their desire to protect and save others. The strength of it is entirely reliant on the will of the user in that regard: the will to protect, and the will to persevere for that sake. A sentient, symbiotic relationship of the divine and the human where it mirrors and amplifies their own hearts into power. Allen, of which... is the person with the deepest, most raw and chaotic connection with it. Being the only one literally born with it as part of his physical body, and being someone who feels things so very deeply without regret and with understanding. Being the only one who's renounced even his own humanity to be a living avatar of it. Whose only sense of existing and all of his caring is tied into saving the people he can as that.

And you just gave Allen a lot more reason to stand his ground on that point and pissed him off in the process which is why his power and will both suddenly surge, so it's on you.

Dabi's chest ignites and Allen snaps his arms back in front of himself again, claws spread wide as a shimmering shield bearing a cross appears between them. The spiritual kind that rejects flame and pretty much anything else like his cloak, and doesn't seem fazed by the full-bodied force of Dabi's flames, parting them like water around it. Even his cloak seems to be reforming, reknitting itself, and leaving him fluoresced in white energy and particles trying to reknit themselves. Something that's cool white fire and light and snow and ragged feathers like a falling angel.

You pissed him off and he and his weapon are both standing their ground on this point, so fuck off. ]

It's dear to me. Saying you'd kill him makes it my business! [ Revenge-soaked idiot. ] Saying you'd kill a good person will always make it someone else's business -- even killing a bad one will! What could he have possibly done that was so terrible anyway if he was just a child too?!

[ "The longer we stay in here, the more everything and everyone out there burns!" Yeah, he knows. It's a cold, dry worry in the back of his mind. And you aren't helping that, ass, but he isn't going to take the bait.

He leans forward, pushing closer with his shield. ]

What even does that matter in a world where none of that exists anymore anyway?! None of us are the same person, it isn't a "home" we can just return to -- they're just memories that we have! You're a new person with a new chance, so live for yourself here, stupid!

[burnitblack]

[so what? whether he's human, vessel, chimera, "god", or emotion incarnate, dabi lacks the capacity to care. a vengeful revenant looking at his power and emotional concern with all the acceptance of a burned-up wall. it has nothing to do with him unless allen decides he's going to step in his way. only then will dabi consider him worth some sort of action on his part, whether to use him to his advantage or remove him from his path. beyond that, allen is as relevant to his life as a stick in the forest fifty miles away. if he looks to cause the villain fear, he's failed. if he looks to cause the villain sorrow, he's failed. and if he sincerely desires to entice touya into some mote of healing or forgiveness in order to "save" him from himself... he's failed before he started.

the growth in power triggers not concern or warning, but irritation that what should've burned up long ago remains standing. he's pissed off plenty of things in his wretched lifetime. they all vanish eventually, either walking off on their own or blowing their ashes away in the hot breeze.

dabi's flames burst to either side of that shield, spilling apart as a stream of water against an obstacle. leaving the grounds around them scorched and igniting another section of the house and gardens into an azure inferno. turquoise eyes narrow at the way the cloak around him seems to be repairing itself. more defense, rejuvenation, a semi-immortal monster who masquerades itself in the image of bastard between holy saint and emaciated pierrot. watching it rise and regroup, as if to show him that his attempts before were all for naught. fucking beast...

he pissed allen off. again, the response of his expression reads an uninterested "so what" as he regards the man in front of him.]

Bark bark. Preach your tyrannical heroism to someone who gives a shit.

[dabi drops both arms to his sides and fire coils in his hands, twisting like serpents set aflame as they collect into roiling orbs within his hands. crawling upward, burning onto his arms and shoulders before flaring outward in arcs. fire spews from the soles of his feet, carpeting the floor in another sea-like conflagration and crawling up his legs as his entire body goes up in immolation. hell around them roars in fury, a great and terrible hatred that refuses to be quenched by some stranger's haphazard attempt at using "kindness" as an excuse to control like a despot.]

He replaced me.

[everything twists and dabi throws both arms to the side, causing the entire furnace around them to spiral. from sweltering walls to a raging tornado of azure damnation, intending to cook this bastard alive by the sheer heat alone. once you've had your very existence wiped away to the point of questioning why you were even born, not out of a sense of vocational purpose, but out of the despairing dread that there's no more meaning to stay alive in the world because some perfect puppet was born and took every damn thing that made you "you" away from you, stripped your identity, your power, your relationship, your reason for being created...

and if you're going to tell him he should be "fine" with that, then you're no longer a human, you ceaseless void of an empty soulless husk.]

I don't recall askin for ya opinion. So do somethin useful and get the hell outta my mind.

[excuse you, but he was doing just fine in this weird ass world before he killed a butterfly. even got along just fine with shouto in their own distanced way. this is touya's emotions inside that allen's talking to, raw and unfettered, not bound by the "circumstances" either of them are in. don't bring the world inside like it's got some "place" as rationale in this fight. you wanted to look in his soul, in his hate and rage, at his revenge; well now you're staring straight into the fire.]

[likethelight]

[ Ugghhh, this guy... Allen grimaces slightly at that barb again, "heroism", but doesn't rise to it.

It's more ragged than before as it reforms and binds more protectively around him, but Crown Clown is still standing. "A semi-immortal monster who masquerades itself in the image of bastard between holy saint and emaciated pierrot..." It's so funny as you aren't wrong at all, Dabi. Even Allen would admit it, with his memories back in full, and has been told that before. It is a monster -- one of "two" inside him.

But it's a monster that lets him help people.

His expression clears slightly at that though, the answer unexpected. Replaced him? He can figure out enough of that from context earlier and the young Touya's desperate need to be a hero and impress his father, and having seen Shouto's own abilities as nature as someone even Allen admitted made him heroic when he actually kind of hates the idea of "professional" heroes, but... ]

How could he replace you when you're standing right here? [ It actually isn't glib. His tone is actually sincere, that moment of realization but also surprise making his anger subside. And he holds where he is with that shield still held up.

The cracks in his face are spreading slowly as the fire whirls up around them, like a porcelain mask that's been superheated for too long, but he isn't paying it any mind. ]

Even if you think he replaced you to someone back then... why would you want to let that be how you define yourself? You're both completely different people who can try to make something new. [ No wind-milling, no rage, even no judgement. Just that clear sort of slight surprise still, the bright blue of the flames reflecting in his own pale eyes like a mirror.

He takes a step closer. Not even a full one, because it's hard to move like this. The strength of those feels -- it makes the air heavy. But a decisive one nonetheless. ]

And I am trying to help you. What do you think corruption is? [ He leans forward, earnest. Why won't it sink into your thick skull. ]

It amplifies your own negative feelings. Even if you avoid anything that spills blood... it's just going to happen again if you keep holding onto this.

[burnitblack]

[technically he was describing allen with that comment, not his power, even if the two could be seen as one in the same. allen himself is the monster that tries to "help" people even when there's no desire to have that "help" in the first place. like any hero, that moral compass he holds so dearly with his bleeding heart is used to validate his decision to force his intents and wants on other people, to decide for them what's "better" for their lives, all because the other isn't living or doing in the way that the hero is convinced is the "right" way to exist. funny that heroes conveniently don't ever see their actions that way.

oh allen would have a lot more hatred for those "professional" heroes in shouto's world if he could get his hands on some of the rhetoric and records the villains have levied towards their opposites. (of course, allen's smart enough to realize a lot of emotions and circumstances come into play here, as many villains from dabi and shouto's world are extremely good at blaming their problems and villainous decisions on other people and social constructs rather than accepting their personally responsibility and culpability in their actions.) it gets very twisted when the ideas of who is "good/bad" and "right/wrong" begins to turn nebulous.

the question earns another derisive noise from the burning villain in front of him. what an idiot.]

As soon as that perfect little puppet was born, Endeavor never looked at me again. Ya ever had your existence taken away from you? Ever been told ya whole life is for one purpose, and then cause ya struggle a little, have it all stripped away and given to someone else? When Shouto was born, Touya ceased to be in Endeavor's eyes. He didn't even care when I died. Nothin changed. All he did was focus on his masterpiece. What good's bein "here" if ya ain't ever seen?

[again, this fool is getting mixed up between the emotional core within dabi and the physical person living in trench. despite the rage and insanity inside, the villain's kept a relatively low profile in the outside world. even had two mostly peaceful interactions with his little brother. don't go basing his actions outside with the inner parts of his soul. he knows how to keep things compartmentalized.

as for how he defines himself... should be a very easy question to answer. touya never had a chance to define "himself"; he was defined by endeavor and his father's ambitions from the moment he was born. touya's dreams were endeavor's dreams. touya's values were endeavor's values. there's no other way he can define himself. the definition for "touya" is "endeavor" or "not endeavor" ever since the beginning. but dabi's not about to tell him those things. because he hates that damning reality.

and he's done talking about himself.]

Then I've been corrupted even before I arrived in this place.

[no other way around it. everyone has negative emotions. amplifying them is going to happen regardless, right? and dabi can no more "let go" of this than allen can drop all his guts on the floor and continue to live with an evisceration torso.]

I had this finished ages ago but never posted it sadjkaj smh, I'm sorry

[likethelight]

[ What kind of headfuckery is it or world that you come from that makes you think people who genuinely want to help are monsters, Dabi. For true. He ironically doesn't have any trouble with the way even incredibly sleazy people and criminals live their lives -- that's their lives -- he himself had last been a fugitive who skirted from one scruffy red light district to the next while fleecing assholes who had it coming blind at poker without even a shred of guilt... People are free to live their lives and some are awful. That's the world. But when you are that level of hurting others, or inflicting hurt on yourself... When you have such a bitterness in you it consumes not only you but makes you want to erase people who had literally nothing to do with your pain? Other than, it seems, being born? Yes. He does feel the need to step in.

If that makes him a monster, so be it. He already resigned himself to that fate in one form or another.

And that said, his distaste at the idea of a society of professional heroes -- heroes that get paid, heroes that take on that title as a literal title -- aside... He'll pass on the rhetoric, thanks. It's rhetoric and he's way too savvy for that. Besides, just from experiencing a bleak world of terror, of "villains" who sometimes seem the most human and care, and righteous "heroes" who commit atrocities in the name of trying to win a war... some things never change, no matter the world. Not when it comes to humans.

People aren't black and white. They never are. Everyone is shades of grey.

Though it is very true... he is confusing the core of the other man's feelings in here vs the outside world, that they aren't one and the same. It's his first time something like this has ever truly happened to this level, so unfortunately you're the one he's trying to figure it out with, Dabi. And this is his first time actually meeting you, so for all he knows this is exactly what you're like in the Trench as well. It's unfortunate.

Although he always wants to believe in the humanity in someone no matter what, the part that can find redemption and peace, and that he doesn't have to be so vehemently hate-filled, and so later in the "real" world would probably just ask him if he likes to play cards and never bring any of this up again. Not as long as he doesn't hurt Shouto.

That said... his expression falls slightly as Dabi reveals that, unguarded and surprised. It's -- very open of him. Very honest. And actually, more than anything... ]

... not like that, no. [ His tone is quieter, and the shield lowers slightly so he can see him better over his hands. Not contrary or frustrated. ] But when I thought someone had destroyed my power, the only thing that ever gave my life any meaning, that let me do anything... I couldn't accept that. I lost it, when they told me to give up and be something else. I kept lashing out at people I knew I shouldn't have.

Even if I had already "died", that felt worse.

[ You're probably not interested in his story. You probably don't want to hear his sympathy. He's well aware of that. But he's working through that, and maybe realizing even a little about how that had to feel.

Not that it excuses much. But he can understand it a little better, even fractionally. ]

But if there was any way you could change that, wouldn't you want to?

done that before. it sucks.

[burnitblack]

[when he comes from a world where "help" means heroes hunting you down and shoving you in a cage for the rest of your life because you want to try and make a better life for yourself, one which doesn't fit into that prim and proper perfect mold the heroes decided is the "only" way to do things. "help" means to be told "you're wrong" and then forced to correct it if you wanted to keep your freedom. allen's offered to help him remove the corruption and regain control of his body, but for the most part, the man's simply been charging through touya's emotions and memories and trying to sweet talk him into... whatever he's attempting. mostly resulting in yells at him to "stop it" and other commanding orders. in other words, behaving like a hero who's determined to "save" him, when dabi's not asking for a second to be saved. only to be returned to his body in control of it. pretty suspicious if the only way to do that is to obey allen's orders... that's the kind of headfuckery the priest is dealing with.

good to know allen's accepting of his monsterhood. that's something the two of them can finally agree on for once.

the ironic thing is, most people who come upon dabi don't leave in shades of grey. they get left behind charbroiled pitch black. something he'd love to do to allen right now, but each time he increases his flames, this asshole pulls out some other item from his damn magic arsenal and comes back stronger. it's tiring. dabi's not one to care about win or lose, so long as he keeps himself alive and retains his advantage or goals. right now, he's rather back off and retreat, leave allen alone because this is getting pointless and it's pissing him off the more the guy runs his damn jaw.

meeting him again in the real world should be an interesting moment. if dabi bothers to give him any time. like it or not, this idiot's invaded places in his mind that the villain doesn't like anyone going. his secrets and memories are for himself alone, to reveal at his own discretion and timing. someone barging in like this, dredging everything up and throwing it around with all those wretched emotions attached, not leaving a good first impression. as for hurting shouto, that's between the brothers.]

Then shut up.

[zero interest in allen's story. already had enough hints and inklings about the little angelic wretch's sob story of a past and couldn't give less of a shit about it. even if someone was a mirrored image of him and went through everything he did, but ultimately opted for forgiveness and kindness to whatever "endeavor" was in their lives, dabi wouldn't care about them. in short, allen's history leads him to be a hero. that's all the villain needs to know to discard the other man as a waste of his time.

having his life given meaning due to his power, to be told to give up and be something else, those are things they could relate to, but... the end result is too separated between their lives. enough dabi doesn't want to investigate further.]

Can't change shit if I'm still stuck in here.

[not that he could change shit out in trench either, since endeavor's not in this world.]

[likethelight]

[ Then that isn't actually a world full of "heroes". That isn't what it means to genuinely want to help people. It's just people being... people with a self-important title. Not that it excuses any of your actions or people that might call themselves "villains", either. Another title he hates just as much.

At least, that's how Allen would see it. But then, it's easier when your existence is to fight and save people from corruption, from the supernatural, the terrors in the night and things that threaten humanity itself. Conflict between humans...

...he's bad at that. Not meant for that.

His brows twitch and knit together at that snapped remark though, not in anger but in some dismay. Another door slammed in his face, and he's rapidly running out of ideas. He's an exorcist, if there's one thing he should know it's this, how to reach a despairing soul.

But this is... absolutely nothing like anything he's dealt with before.

He takes a breath though, features become steadier and his expression setting into something more determined. Can't change shit if he's stuck in here? Fine, he can work with that.

He takes a step then, and... drops his shield, moving in a smooth forward rush like a dancer. Through the fire if he has to. It's okay if his porcelain soul cracks from the heat, from the bitterness and the hate. If it begins to burn up his cloak again. It's okay. His fingers are outstretched as he reaches out with his right hand again, to push forward and reach for Dabi's. Not to stop or turn aside his flames this time, but to grab hold. Tight, if he can, and pull him forward. He's not letting you go and will drag you out of here while he cracks apart to get you back if he has to. ]

Then stop wanting to stay mired in here. [ Can't you see that? That's what it means to be corrupted. To cling on to something like this. He can never pull you out of something you don't want to let go from. Except... he's sure going to try now.

Except it... doesn't matter.

The world feels cold suddenly. Or, no. His body feels cold suddenly. Like a wave of oncoming frost, and regardless of whatever Dabi might be doing or saying, his expression washes over with surprise. Startled, his eyes unfocusing like he's trying to see something else that isn't there with them. Like there's another him he's becoming aware of. Another set of things happening.

...another part of him breaking down.

His eyes snap back to Dabi's then. Doesn't matter what he was doing, what he may or may not have said, if he'd taken the time to push Allen back -- it doesn't matter. Eyes pale and bright, wide with sudden realization, of time running out, and for the first time now looking truly fearful. ]

I--

[ He's gone. Just like that. Shattered into shards of light, and hurled back into the waking world. ]

[burnitblack]

[best not to ask dabi, a wanted villain, to describe his world of "heroes" and take it as gospel truth. he's already pegged allen as the soft type and figured planting doubt and speculation about the heroes of his world in the man's mind was a better option. not that he wasn't telling the man the truth... but that was something for allen to find out later.

alas, now he is engaging in a conflict between himself and another human, monster that dabi may well be. trying to crack into his mind and soul, trying to attempt something as foolish as to "heal" the young man from the trauma and torment of his past, is a faulty gamble. it's not allen touya wants to hear anything from.

he'll continue to slam doors in his face. not his business. not his problem. shut up, shut up. he's gone far too long to be swayed by some stranger's words of "forgiveness" or "kindness" when said stranger doesn't know a single thing about his past. even the bits he's learned now are only factual. he has no emotional connection, no memories, nothing to give his words weight in touya's mind. yes, allen's reached his soul. but only been burned for his efforts. despair? no. rage and insanity running towards revenge and death? hell yes.

blue eyes widen when the man suddenly pushes into his flames. running forward against the torrent of blue fire that's all but swallowed up everything around them. the garden is completely vaporized, the house that once stood tall and powerful now nothing more than a charred skeleton amid the azure blaze. and yet this man continues towards him, reaching his hand one inch at a time before those fingers find purchase on his own. folding between them and slotting into the grooves of his knuckles.

the only reason dabi doesn't bother drawing back or resisting further is because he still expects allen to pull him out of here. since obviously touya lacks knowledge on how to do so of his own accord. but once again, the words come and his eyes narrow at the implication behind them. to "stay mired" in here? does he even know what that would mean? bullshit. he's not giving up on this! revenge is what keeps his body going, a pure unfiltered grudge of hatred that moves this flesh that should have died only a month after waking from his three-year post-immolation coma.]

You don't fucking get it-!!

[a surge of rage and annoyance flares up all over again, but that's suddenly ripped out from under him, sending the villain mentally reeling from the displacement. everything's changing, flames pulling inward, light itself seeming to flicker and fade. a rush of cold comes with the approaching darkness, and he looks up towards the 'sky' of this world. can't see naught but darkness. eyes drop back down, noticing allen's surprise, but before he can say more--

their connection's severed and all at once, his mind snaps shut as allen's invasion is sucked out. dropping in his own consciousness once more, the monster swelling up with a roar before he falls back into the waking world.]